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from seven to nine hours per day,"
the fdport states. "The policy in gen
eral provides for sanitary and reason
ably comfortable working places, and
for recreation and physical needs of
operators, but in a number of cities
conditions even in thesarespects are
subject to severe criticism."
A- T. & T. controls more than 70
per cent of total phone business of
the country. It has been "enormous
ly profitable and is well able to af
ford neessary improvements in work
ing conditions." It has increased Its
capitalization "enormously without
investment of new capital"
"The transaction by which the A.
T. & T. Co., which had been a sub
sidiary of the American Bell Tele
pohne Co., absorbed the parent com
pany in 1899 was not only designed
to evade the legal limitations con
tained in the Massachusetts charter,
but resulted in the increase of the
capitalization of the combination
from $25,886,300 to $75,276,600 with
out addition of any new capital."
"Transmission of intelligence is a
function specially reserved by the
constitution to the federal govern
ment, but which in the telephone
field has been permitted to become
the practical monopoly of a single
corporation."
It is suggested the commission re
commend: 1. Purchase by federal govern
ment, after proper valuation, of the
property of the interstate and local
telephone companies or such part of
their equipment as may be necessary
for efficient operation of a national
telephone system.
2. Transfer of all employes to
federal service and absorption of all
employes not necessary for telephone
system into other branches of federal
Service.
3. Creation of special commission
to establish salary ratings and work
ing conditions on proper basis.
4 Creation of minimum wage
board to nx standard for women employes.
5. Creation of minimum wage
boards in the several states to fix
minimum wages for all women em
ployes In service withia the state.
Western Union Telegraph Co. is
raked for payment of low wages.
Even its president, Newcomb Carl
ton, who admits wages are low and
ought to be raised, can't get action
from tight-fisted directors. Carlton's
testimony on welfare and wages is
cited. He said:
"I do not cite any of these things
as a substitute for wages, because
there is no substitute for proper pay.
I believe that the telegraphers are
underpaid."
Theodore Vail, president of the A.
T. & T., has been much boosted and
slathered with praise in such publi
cations as Leslie's Weekly and in the
A. T. & T. press dope in Chicago daily
papers. Here's what the commis
sioners say of Vall's A. T. & T. labor
record:
"The workers are practically un
able to improve their conditions be
cause these two companies (phone
and telegraph) which control prac
tically thentire industry deny them
the right of organization. The sup
pression of organization is effectively
carried out by the discharge of all
known to be union men or union
sympathizers, by the use of spies
who fraudulently secure the con
fidence of employes and report all
known to be union members or union
sympathizers, by the use of an ef
fective blacklisting system and by the
control even of the personnel of the
operators upon leased wires in the
office of brokers and other private In
dividuals." Government ownership and opera
tion as part of postal system is re
commended for the Western Union.
The Pullman Co. paying $27.50 a
month to porters as wages is shown
to have increased capitalization from
$36,000,000 in 1893 to $120,000,000
in 1915, "without the investment of a
single dollar on the part of stockholders."
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